Report on the 4th International Meeting of the IUGS Lower Cretaceous Ammonite Working Group, the “Kilian Group” (Dijon, France, 30th August 2010)

The 4th Kilian Group meeting (Dijon, France, 30th August 2010) focused on the Aptian and Albian Stages. For the Aptian, a two-fold division of the stage was adopted for the Mediterranean area with a boundary between the Dufrenoyia furcata and Epicheloniceras martini Zones. The main changes to the zonal scheme concern the Lower Aptian with: the introduction of a Deshayesites luppovi Subzone in the upper part of the Deshayesites oglanlensis Zone; the replacement of Deshayesites weissi by Deshayesites forbesi as new index-species of the second interval zone; the introduction of a Roloboceras hambrovi Subzone in the upper part of the D. forbesi Zone; and the subdivision of the D. furcata Zone into the D. furcata and Dufrenoyia dufrenoyi Subzones. For the Albian, the upper part of the Douvilleiceras mammillatum Zone (Lower Albian) is now characterized by a Lyelliceras pseudolyelli Subzone. The main amendments concern the Upper Albian. The base of this substage is defined by the base of the Dipoloceras cristatum Zone. Above it, the Upper Albian zonal scheme comprises in stratigraphic order the Mortoniceras pricei, Mortoniceras inflatum, Mortoniceras fallax, Mortoniceras rostratum, Mortoniceras perinflatum and Arrhaphoceras briacensis Zones.     

Deep Norden： Highlights of the lithospheric structure of Northern Europe, Iceland, and Greenland

We present a review of geophysical models of the continental lithosphere of Norden, which includes the Nordic countries （Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden）, Greenland, and the adjacent regions of the neighbouring countries. The structure of the crust and the lithospheric mantle reflects the geologic evolution of Norden from Precambrian terrane accretion and subduction within the Baltic Shield and Greenland to Phanerozoic rifting, volcanism, magmatic crust formation, subduction and continent-continent collision at the edges of the cratons and at the plate boundaries. The proposed existence of a mantle plume below Iceland has not been uniquely demonstrated by the available seismic evidence. Its connection to the break-up of the North Atlantic Ocean c. 65 My ago is uncertain, but the 〉30 km thick crust in the strait between Iceland and Greenland may indicate the track of the plume. Using the results from seismic （reflection and refraction profiles, P- and S-wave, body-wave and surface-wave tomography）, thermal, gravity, and petrologic studies,we review the structure of the crust and the lithospheric mantle of Norden and propose an integrated model of physical properties of the lithosphere of the region, including maps of lateral variation in crustal and lithospheric thicknesses and compositional variation in the lithospheric mantle.     

Numerical modelling of stream–aquifer interaction: Quantifying the impact of transient streambed permeability and aquifer heterogeneity

Stream–aquifer interaction plays a vital role in the water cycle, and a proper study of this interaction is needed for understanding groundwater recharge, contaminants migration, and for managing surface water and groundwater resources. A model‐based investigation of a field experiment in a riparian zone of the Schwarzbach river, a tributary of the Rhine River in Germany, was conducted to understand stream–aquifer interaction under alternative gaining and losing streamflow conditions. An equivalent streambed permeability, estimated by inverting aquifer responses to flood waves, shows that streambed permeability increased during infiltration of stream water to aquifer and decreased during exfiltration. Aquifer permeability realizations generated by multiple‐point geostatistics exhibit a high degree of heterogeneity and anisotropy. A coupled surface water groundwater flow model was developed incorporating the time‐varying streambed permeability and heterogeneous aquifer permeability realizations. The model was able to reproduce varying pressure heads at two observation wells near the stream over a period of 55 days. A Monte Carlo analysis was also carried out to simulate groundwater flow, its age distribution, and the release of a hypothetical wastewater plume into the aquifer from the stream. Results of this uncertainty analysis suggest (a) stream–aquifer exchange flux during the infiltration periods was constrained by aquifer permeability; (b) during exfiltration, this flux was constrained by the reduced streambed permeability; (c) the effect of temporally variable streambed permeability and aquifer heterogeneity were found important to improve the accurate capture of the uncertainty; and (d) probabilistic infiltration paths in the aquifer reveal that such pathways and the associated prediction of the extent of the contaminant plume are highly dependent on aquifer heterogeneity.     

生态地质调查评价——以辽宁铁岭地区为例

参照俄罗斯生态地质调查评价方法,结合辽宁铁岭地区资源与环境状况,增加了土壤侵蚀、土壤厚度及植被发育状况等相关调查内容,建立了基于“土壤、植被、水文及地质灾害发育程度等”评价指标的“生态地质综合评价法”.由此将工作区划分出5类生态地质景观,提出了相应的资源开发与环境保护建议.     

Correction to: The contributions of fronts,lows and thunderstorms to southern Australian rainfall

Climate Dynamics - In the original published version of the paper, the figures reported in Sect. 4 relating the proportion of rainfall in southern Australia that is due to each of the...     

Great Silk Road on the Territory of Kazakhstan: From Past to Future

The Great Silk Road is a trade route linking the East and West which gave impetus to the development of ancient society, and Kazakhstan is the heart of the trade route. At the initial stage, intensive transaction of goods took place between the West and East through The Great Silk Road. This paper reviewed the history of development of the Silk Road and suggested that today to construct the "New Silk Road", Kazakhstan should face many issues, and take many steps to become a Eurasian hub through taking full of advantages. Above all, developing mechanisms of integration and sustainable development is our urgent need.